Tipping in America

Tip if you are happy with the service. Many places work out the tip for you at the bottom of the receipt.

But how do they know if you're happy with the service, if they're already telling you how much you should tip?!

It's obviously an assumed extra payment, and then any awkwardness is down to you to raise, rather than the choice to tip or not remaining in your hands - which could be very awkward indeed in a place where the service was abysmal, as it might be systemic throughout the whole establishment!

I know it's the traditional word, and it isn't going to change anytime soon; but I think calling it a 'tip' or 'gratuity' is woefully inaccurate. It's nonsensical when it's expected/assumed/requested - if they just referred to it as 'service charge', 'supplementary charge' or similar, at least everybody would be clear about it not being anything like an actual tip: a freewill discretionary payment for above-and-beyond service.

That low paid staff get themselves Unionised, start collective bargaining, and withdraw labour until they are paid a living wage ??

I was chased down the street in New York as the tip wasn’t big enough. Tips are part of peoples wages in the US.

I was really confused as depending on who you tip it’s a different amount and I’d done a little spreadsheet which I had in my purse showing me how much I needed to tip depending what service I’ve used

I returned to the restaurant and was given the little folder with the tip in which I then counted out in front of them, it transpired that two of fairly high value notes were stuck together, they were brand-new notes.

What annoyed me the most was that an apology was not given and the money was grumpyily taken away from me.

To be honest, it really has put me off going back to New York

Your service staff will be paid next to nothing. Don't tip? Don't be surprised by the results.

I was not tipping in America for a quite expensive hotel room I was only in for eight hours.

I don't care if it's "how the country works". I am not responsible for their societal failings and I don't want to perpetuate a broken system. In some countries some people only survive by begging, and others rely heavily on bribes, but it would be too much to say visitors to these countries must participate by giving money.

I hated all the tipping thing in New York. I asked someone for directions and they held their hand out for a tip. I was scared to look anyone in the eye!!

I am in Seattle right now. Minimum wage here is $20/hr nowadays, but the tipping culture hasn't changed unfortunately. In motels, I'll usually just leave a couple of dollars a night / $5 for 2 nights for housekeeping staff.

I think I’m happy to try to avoid housekeeping services unless we need new towels.

How would you do this though? I think your plan for everything else is great but it's maybe a bit too far to try and stop housekeeping doing their job for the sake of a few dollars a day.

I have been to the USA at least 10 times and have never once tipped hotel staff. If you're travelling on a budget i doubt you're staying in 5* hotels. Take your own bags up yourself. Don't worry too much about housekeeping. I don't expect much anyway. I'll happily make my own bed or whatever.

Only ever tip in service places like restaurants.

Yes it puts me off going to US. I don't want to be stressed hoping I've got enough cash on me all holiday. I grabbed a pastry at a Starbucks and took it to the till. Sure enough, she was waiting for a tip. For what??!!

Hand yourself in to the authorities immediately.

Are there still lots of cash tips? I'm assuming not so many people use cash anymore. Should I get cash just so I can tip?

I never encountered such a bad service as not to tip but may be is the places I go to. My American friend doesn’t tip if the service is bad and would be happy to talk to the manager is what she told me once.

I was personally suprised how tipping was less in your face than I expected. I tipped in restaurants and left some cash in the tip jars if there was one. That being said, I was happy being the ignorant european who didn't tip at every opportunity. I didn't tip the hotel staff since they didnt clean our room durjng our visit. Depending on the attraction I sometimes tipped the staff and sometimes didn't depending if there was actual service.

One thing I'd have to disagree on, is that tipping makes the service better. I've been to America twice and both times I found that knowing they will get a tip, makes the service worse. Because they don't need to "earn" it. I'd say there was maybe a couple of times I got really good service, but that was not the norm in my experience. Most were disinterested at best, downright rude at worst.

It's not somewhere I really enjoyed visiting and wouldn't go again. It's not even the tipping per se but the attitude around it. Aggression when someone doesn't tip or doesn't tip "enough" is never acceptable in my book.

I've been on holiday to America four times and I've never tipped housekeeping staff in the hotel.

Housekeeping probably won’t go to your room every day- but when I went to New York 2 years ago and Las Vegas last week housekeeping were tipped a couple of dollars a day- and the bell man 5 dollars.
food is where it’s expected- as little as 18%
don’t eat at Ellen’s stardust- massively expensive and overrated
if you have time get the cable car to Rhode island- there’s also a really good Chucky cheese in Brooklyn (for the kids)
if you like desserts go to serendipity near those island cable car.
Enjoy!

You can put the do jot disturb sign on the room to cut this down. We sometimes used to put a dollar on each pillow.

Also carry your own case to the room. We did this too as it cringey to me.

Seriously OP, you need to bloody tip!